service Abarth 124 Spider 2016 Owner handbook (in English)

We really know your car because we invented, designed and built it: we r\
eally know every single detail. At Abarth Service authorised workshops you can find technicians directly trained by us,
offering quality and professionalism for all service operations.
Abarth workshops are always close to you for the regular servicing opera\
tions, season checks and practical recommendations by our experts.
With Original Parts distributed by MOPAR
®, you maintain the reliability, comfort
and performance features that you bought your new car for over time.
Always ask for Genuine Parts for the components used on our cars; we rec\
ommend them because
they come from our steady commitment in research and development of high\
ly innovative technologies. For all these reasons: rely on Genuine Parts, because they are the only ones designed by Abarth for your car.
SAFETY:
BRAKING SYSTEMENVIRONMENT: PARTICULATE FILTERS, CLIMATE CONTROL MAINTENANCECOMFORT: SUSPENSION
AND WINDSCREEN WIPERS PERFORMANCE: SPARK PLUGS, INJECTORS AND BATTERIESLINEACCESSORI
ROOF RACK BARS, WHEEL RIMS
WHY CHOOSING GENUINE PARTS
This Owner Handbook is intended to show the vehicle's operating conditio\
ns.
For the enthusiast user who wants to have insights, curiosities and deta\
iled information about the characteristics and functions
of the vehicle, Abarth gives the opportunity to consult a dedicated sect\
ion which is available in electronic format.
ONLINE VEHICLE OWNER HANDBOOK
The following symbol  is reported within the text of the Owner Handbook, next to the subjects \
for which details are provided.
Go to the www.mopar.eu/owner
website and access your personal area.
The “Maintenance and care” page includes all the information about\
your vehicle and the link to access eLUM, where you will find
all the details of the Owner Handbook.
Alternatively, to access this information, go to the Internet website at\
http://aftersales.fiat.com/elum/
.
The eLUM website is free and will allow you, among many other things, to easily c\
onsult the on-board documents
of all the other vehicles of the Group.
Have a nice reading and happy motoring!
Cop ABARTH 124 SPIDER GB.qxp 17/06/16 14:41 Pagina 2

Dear Customer,
We would like to congratulate and thank you for choosing an Abarth 124 Spider.
We have written this handbook to help you get to know all the features of your vehicle and use it in the best possible way.
Here you will find information, advice and important warnings regarding use of your vehicle and how to achieve the best
performance from the technical features of your vehicle.
You are advised to read it right through before taking to the road for the first time, to become familiar with the controls and
above all with those concerning brakes, steering and gearbox; at the same time, you can understand the vehicle behaviour on
different road surfaces.
This document also provides a description of special features and tips, as well as essential information for the safe driving, care
and maintenance of your vehicle over time.
After reading it, you are advised to keep the handbook inside the vehicle, for an easy reference and for making sure it remains
on board the vehicle should it be sold.
In the attached Warranty Booklet you will also find a description of the Services that FCA offers to its customers, the Warranty
Certificate and the detail of the terms and conditions for maintaining its validity.
We are sure that these will help you to get in touch with and appreciate your new vehicle and the service provided by the
people at FCA.
Enjoy reading. Happy motoring!
IMPORTANT This Owner Handbook describes all versions of the vehicle; please consider only the information
relevant to your vehicle’s trim level, engine and version. All data contained in this publication are purely indicative.
FCA Italy S.p.A. can modify the vehicle model described in this publication at any time, for technical or commercial
purposes. For further information, contact an Abarth Dealership.

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
A punctured tyre or a burnt-out bulb?
At times, a problem may interfere with
our journey.
The pages on emergencies can help
you to deal with critical situations
independently and with calm.
In an emergency we recommend that
you call the freephone number found in
the Warranty Booklet.
It is also possible to call the national or
international universal freephone
number to search for the nearest
Dealership.HAZARD WARNING LIGHTS.....132
REPLACING A BULB..........133
REPLACING FUSES..........141
TIRE SERVICE KIT...........148
JUMP STARTING............153
TOWING THE VEHICLE........156
EMERGENCY TOWING........157
131

WARNING
165)If the fuse blows again contact an
Abarth Dealership.
166)Never replace a fuse with another
with a higher amp rating; DANGER OF
FIRE.
167)Contact an Abarth Dealership if a
safety system (airbags, brakes), power unit
system (engine, gearbox) or steering
system general protection fuse blows.
168)Do not replace the main fuse and
multiplex slow blow fuse by yourself.
Contact an Abarth Dealership to perform
the replacement. Replacing these fuses by
yourself is dangerous because they are
high current fuses. Incorrect replacement
could cause an electrical shock or a short
circuit resulting in a fire.
169)Before replacing a fuse, make sure
that the ignition device is in OFF position
and that all the other services are switched
off and/or deactivated.
IMPORTANT
32)Never replace a fuse with metal wires
or anything else.
33)If it is necessary to wash the engine
compartment, take care not to directly hit
the junction unit and the window wiper
motors with the water jet.
TIRE SERVICE KIT
(where provided)
170) 171) 172) 173) 174) 175) 176)
3)
TOOL STORAGE
Your vehicle is not equipped with a
spare tire, jack and wheel brace. For
details, contact an Abarth Dealership.
Tools are stored in the locations
illustrated in fig. 130:
1: jack lever;
2: towing eyelet
Inside the boot lid is also located the
emergency flat tire repair kit.
TIRE SERVICE STORAGE
The tire service kit is located inside the
boot lid fig. 131.
IMPORTANT Your vehicle is not
equipped with a spare tire. In the event
of a flat tire, use the tire service kit to
repair the tire temporarily. When doing
the repair, refer to the instructions
included in the tire service kit. If an
emergency repair was performed on a
flat tire using the tire service kit, contact
an Abarth Dealership, repair or replace
the tire as soon as possible.
TIRE SERVICE KIT
COMPONENTS AND
OPERATION
The tire service kit includes the
following items:
tire sealant;
compressor;
valve core tool;
injection hose;
spare valve core;
speed restriction sticker;
instruction handbook.
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IN CASE OF EMERGENCY

TIRE SERVICE USAGE
PRECAUTIONS
NoteThe tire sealant cannot be reused.
Purchase new tire sealant at an Abarth
Dealership.
The tire service kit cannot be used in
the following cases. Consult an Abarth
Dealership:
– the period of effective use for the
tire sealant has expired (the period
of effectiveness is indicated on the
bottle label);
– the tear or puncture exceeds about
4 mm;
– the damage has occurred to an
area of the tire other than the tread;
– the vehicle has been driven with
nearly no air remaining in the tire;
– the tire has come off the wheel rim;
– damage to the wheel rim has
occurred;
– the tire has two or more punctures.
SEALING A TIRE WITH
TIRE SERVICE
Proceed as follows:
move the vehicle off the right-of-way
to a safe place on a level and hard
surface where the vehicle does not
obstruct traffic;
shift the shift lever to the 1 or
Reverse (R) position (manual
transmission), and shift the selectorlever to the P position (automatic
transmission);
apply the parking brake with the
brake pedal depressed and turn off the
engine;
if necessary, flash the hazard warning
lights and set up the roadside
emergency triangle;
unload passengers and cargo and
remove the tire service kit;
shake the tire sealant well. If the
bottle is shaken after the injection hose
is screwed on, tire sealant could spray
out from the injection hose. Tire sealant
contacting clothing or other objects
may be impossible to remove. Shake
the bottle before screwing on the
injection hose;
IMPORTANT The sealant hardens easily
and injecting it will be difficult under
cold weather conditions (0°C or below).
Warm the sealant inside the vehicle to
facilitate injection.
remove the cap 1 from the bottle 2
fig. 132. Screw on the injection hose
3 with the bottle's inner cap left on to
break the inner cap;
remove the valve cap 4 fig. 133 from
the flat tire. Press the back of a valve
core tool 6 to the core of the tire valve
5 and bleed all the remaining air;
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149

NOTE If the tire inflation pressure does
not increase, repair of the tire is not
possible. If the tire does not reach the
specified tire inflation pressure within
10 minutes, it may have received
extensive damage. In this case, the
repair using the tire service kit was not
successful. Contact an Abarth
Dealership.
If the tire has been over-inflated, loosen
the screw cap on the air compressor
and bleed some of the air out;
when the tire inflates to the specified
tire inflation pressure, turn the air
compressor switch off, turn the sleeve
of the air compressor hose to the left,
and pull it out of the tire valve;
install the tire valve cap;
put the tire service kit into the boot;
start driving immediately to spread
the sealant in the tire.
IMPORTANT Carefully drive the vehicle
at a speed of 80 km/h or less. If the
vehicle is driven at a speed of 80 km/h
or more, the vehicle may vibrate.
If the tire is not properly inflated, the
warning light will illuminate.
after driving the vehicle for about
10 minutes or 5 km (3 miles), connect
the air compressor to the tire and check
the tire inflation pressure using the tire
pressure gauge on the air compressor.
If the tire inflation pressure is lower than
the specified tire inflation pressure, turn
the air compressor on and wait until it
reaches the specified tire inflation
pressure;
the emergency flat tire repair is
completed successfully if the tire
inflation pressure does not decrease.
Carefully drive the vehicle to the nearest
Abarth Dealership and have the flat tire
replaced. Replacement with a new tire
is recommended. If the tire is to be
repaired or reused, contact an Abarth
Dealership.
IMPORTANT Before checking the tire
inflation pressure using the tire pressure
gauge, turn the air compressor switch
off.
NOTEIf an emergency flat tire repair has
been performed using the tire service
kit, FCA recommends that the tire be
replaced with a new one as soon as
possible. If the tire is to be repaired or
reused, contact an Abarth Dealership.
The wheel can be reused if the
sealant adhering to it is removed.
However, replace the valve with a new
one.
REPLACING THE BOTTLE
Inspect the tire service kit at regular
intervals.
Check the tire sealant period of
effective use. Check the operation of
the tire compressor.
IMPORTANT The tire sealant has a
period of effective use. Check the
period of effective use indicated on the
152
IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
bottle label and do not use it if it has
expired. Have the tire sealant replaced
at an Abarth Dealership before the
period of effective use has expired.

WARNING
170)Punctures on the sides of the tire may
not be repaired. Do not use the kit if the tire
was damaged as a result of being used
when underinflated.
171)Do not adhere the speed restriction
sticker to the padded area on the steering
wheel. Adhering the speed restriction
sticker to the padded area on the steering
wheel is dangerous because the air bag
may not operate (deploy) normally resulting
in serious injury. In addition, do not adhere
the sticker to areas where warning lights or
the speedometer cannot be viewed.
172)If the tire inflation pressure has
decreased below 130 kPa (1.3 kgf/cm
2or
bar, 18.9 psi), stop driving and contact a
Dealership. The repair using the emergency
at tire repair kit was not successful. If you
see a decrease in the tire inflation pressure,
stop driving. Contact a Dealership.
173)You must always indicate that the tyre
was repaired using the kit. Give the booklet
to the technicians who will be handling the
tire that was treated using the kit.
174)Repairs are not possible in the case of
damage to the wheel rim (bad groove
distortion causing air loss). Do not remove
foreign bodies (screws or nails) from the
tire.175)The information required by the
applicable regulation is indicated on the tire
service kit package label. Compliance with
the indications on the label is an essential
condition to ensure the safety and the
effectiveness of the tire service kit. Carefully
read the label before use, avoid improper
use. Tire service kit is subject to expiration
and must be replaced periodically. The kit
should be used by adults and cannot be
used by children.
176)Do not allow children to touch the tire
sealant: ingestion of tire sealant is
dangerous. In the event tire sealant is
accidentally swallowed, drink large
amounts of water immediately and seek
medical assistance. Tire sealant that
comes into contact with the eyes and skin
is dangerous. If tire sealant enters the eyes
or contacts the skin, flush immediately with
large amounts of water and seek medical
assistance.
IMPORTANT
3)Dispose of the bottle and the sealant
liquid properly. Have them disposed of in
compliance with national and local
regulations.
JUMP STARTING
PREPARATIONS FOR
JUMP STARTING
177) 178) 179) 180) 181) 182) 183) 184) 185) 186)
34)
Jump-starting is dangerous if done
incorrectly. So follow the procedure
carefully fig. 142. If you feel unsure
about jump-starting, we strongly
recommend that you have a competent
service technician do the work.
IMPORTANT When using booster
battery is used, comply with the
utilisation and precaution instructions
specified by the producer.
153

the towing eyelet and towing hook or
rope;
do not attach any rope other than to
the towing eyelet and towing hook.
IMPORTANT The towing eyelet should
be used in an emergency (to get the
vehicle out of a ditch or a snow bank,
for example).
IMPORTANT When using the towing
eyelets, always pull the lead or chain in
a straight direction with respect to the
eyelet. Never apply a sideways force.
IMPORTANT When towing with chain
or lead, wrap the chain or lead with a
soft cloth near the bumper to prevent
damage to the bumper.
IMPORTANT
35)Before starting towing operations, put
the ignition switch to OFF position.
36)Before tightening the tow hook, clean
the threaded housing thoroughly. Make
sure that the tow hook is fully fastened in
the housing before towing the vehicle.37)The front and rear tow hooks should be
used only for emergencies on the road. You
are allowed to tow the vehicle for short
distances using an appropriate device in
accordance with the highway code (a rigid
bar), to move the vehicle on the road in
readiness for towing or transport via a
breakdown vehicle. Tow hooks MUST NOT
be used to tow vehicles off the road or
where there are obstacles and/or for
towing operations using ropes or other
non-rigid devices. Respecting the above
conditions, towing must take place with
two vehicles (one towing, the other towed)
aligned as much as possible along the
same center line.
EMERGENCY
TOWING
TOWING DESCRIPTION
Proper lifting and towing are necessary
to prevent damage to the vehicle.
Government and local laws must be
followed.
A towed vehicle usually should have its
drive wheels (rear wheels) off the
ground. If excessive damage or other
conditions prevent this, use wheel
dollies.
When towing with the rear wheels on
the ground, release the parking brake.
IMPORTANT Do not tow the vehicle
pointed backward with driving wheels
on the ground. This may cause internal
damage to the transmission.
IMPORTANT Do not tow with sling-type
equipment. This could damage your
vehicle. Use wheel-lift or flatbed
equipment.
If towing service is not available in an
emergency, the vehicle may be towed
with all four wheels on the ground using
the towing hook at the front of the
vehicle. Only tow the vehicle on paved
surfaces for short distances at low
speeds.
157

INTRODUCTION
Be extremely careful and prevent injury
to yourself and others or damage to
your vehicle when using this manual for
inspection and maintenance.
If you are unsure about any procedure it
describes, we strongly urge you to have
a reliable and qualified service shop
perform the work, preferably at Abarth
Dealership.
Factory-trained FCA technicians and
genuine FCA parts are best for your
vehicle. Without this expertise and the
parts that have been designed and
made especially for your vehicle,
inadequate, incomplete, and insufficient
servicing may result in problems. This
could lead to vehicle damage or an
accident and injuries.
For expert advice and quality service,
contact an Abarth Dealership.
The owner should retain evidence that
proper maintenance has been
performed as prescribed.
A claim against a warranty will not
qualify if it results from lack of
maintenance and not from defective
material or authorised workmanship.
Claims against the warranty resulting
from lack of maintenance, as opposed
to defective materials or authorized FCA
workmanship, will not be honored.Scheduled maintenance
NOTE After the prescribed period,
continue to follow the described
maintenance at the recommended
intervals.
Emission control and related
systems
The ignition and fuel systems are highly
important to the emission control
system and to efficient engine
operation. Do not tamper with them.
All inspections and adjustments must
be made by Abarth Dealership.
OWNER MAINTENANCE
PRECAUTIONS
187) 188) 189)
38)
Routine service
We highly recommend that these items
be inspected daily, or at least every
week:
Engine oil level
Engine coolant level
Brake and clutch fluid Level
Washer fluid level
Battery maintenance
Tire inflation pressure
Improper or incomplete service may
result in problems. This section gives
instructions only for items that are easy
to perform.As explained in the “Introduction”
paragraph, several procedures can be
done only by a qualified service
technician with special tools.
Improper do-it yourself maintenance
during the warranty period may affect
warranty coverage. For details, read the
separate Warranty statement provided
with the vehicle. If you are unsure about
any servicing or maintenance
procedure, have it done by Abarth
Dealership.
There are strict environmental laws
regarding the disposal of waste oil and
fluids. Please dispose of your waste
properly and with due regard to the
environment.
We recommend that you entrust the oil
and fluid changes of your vehicle to an
Abarth Dealership.
PERIODIC CHECKS
Every1,000 kmor before long trips
check and, if necessary, top up:
engine coolant level;
brake fluid level;
windscreen washer fluid level;
tire inflation pressure and condition;
operation of lighting system
(headlights, direction indicators, hazard
warning lights, etc.);
operation of windscreen
washer/wiper system and
160
MAINTENANCE AND CARE

BRAKE / CLUTCH FLUID
198) 203)
46)
It should be kept between the MAX and
MIN lines fig. 151.
The level normally drops with
accumulated distance, a condition
associated with wear of brake and
clutch linings. If it is excessively low,
have the brake/clutch system contact
an Abarth Dealership.
NOTE On right-hand drive versions the
reservoir is located on the left side of
the engine compartment.
WINDOW AND
HEADLIGHT WASHER
FLUID
196) 197) 204)
Inspect fluid level in the washer fluid
reservoir fig. 152; open the cap and
add fluid if necessary.
AUTOMATIC
TRANSMISSION
CONTROL UNIT
5)
The transmission control oil level should
only be checked at Abarth Dealership.
BATTERY MAINTENANCE
199) 200) 201) 202)
47)
6)
To get the best service from a battery:
keep it securely mounted;
keep the top clean and dry;
keep terminals and connections
clean, tight, and coated with petroleum
jelly or terminal grease;
rinse off spilled electrolyte
immediately with a solution of water
and baking soda;
if the vehicle will not be used for an
extended time, disconnect the battery
leads and charge the battery every six
weeks.
NOTE (versions with automatic
transmission)
Every time the battery is reconnected
after being disconnected, it is
necessary to perform the described
toothed wheel learning procedure:
warm up the engine;
with the car stopped, the engine
running and the shift lever in the N
position, press the accelerator pedal all
the way down to bring the engine to
over 6000 rpm;
release the accelerator pedal and
wait for the engine to return naturally to
idling speed.
If this procedure is not performed, the
warning light could turn on: in this
case, contact the Abarth Dealership.
IMPORTANT If, after the first press of
the accelerator pedal to bring the
engine to over 6000 rpm, another
follows immediately after without the
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MAINTENANCE AND CARE